DNS Conflicts (LAN vs WAN)

I am setting up a web dev LAMP server on my LAN.
I also have 3 other windows machines (one of them running W2K server that acts as the domain controller) and a router/firewall.Incedentally, I have IIS running on that server with ASP, MS SQL2000, etc, and I didn't have to forfeit my life to set them up.

I have a cable connection to my ISP that is based on DHCP. I also use DHCP on my LAN (so the DNS settings from my ISP are propogated to all the machines).

In ISPConfig;
1) As admin, I have setup a Reseller using an arbitrary name (since there is not site required).
2a) As the above reseller, I have setup a Client (using the domain name of my Internet Web Site) and this entry is in the Clients folder.
2b) Also as the above reseller, I have setup a Site (using the host 'www', domain name 'abms.net.au', and IP 192.168.0.5) and this entry is in the Sites folder.

On my webdev machine, I look in the /var/www folder and I see 2 entries for what I've done above. I see a folder called 'web5' and a folder called 'www.abms.net.au'. Why both? Did one get created for the Client and the other for the Site?

When I access the webdev machine in Firefox, I use the IP address because if I use the domain name, I end up at my Internet Web Site.
Using the IP address though gets me to a page that says that this IP is shared and that I have to supply the domain name.

If anyone out there who has done this before, I'm happy to open my firewall and forward the ports to this machine so you can have a look and help me set this up. I am also having a problem with HTTPS access to the web server and am getting no where in trying to solve the problem.

I've been working on this whole Debian Linux thing for a month and a half full-time and am getting really frustrated about how difficult it is to get anything done. So much so that I will say that whilst everyone complains about M$ (including me), I now see why they charge for their products. They work, and by comparision are really easy to setup.

On my webdev machine, I look in the /var/www folder and I see 2 entries for what I've done above. I see a folder called 'web5' and a folder called 'www.abms.net.au'. Why both? Did one get created for the Client and the other for the Site?

Click to expand...

www.abms.net.au is a symlink to the folder web5 for easier navigation on the shell.

When I access the webdev machine in Firefox, I use the IP address because if I use the domain name, I end up at my Internet Web Site.

Click to expand...

You can not access name based vjsost by IP address. They can be only accessed by domain.

It is better to use "private" domains for your local test site, e.g a fictional domain like www.abms.net.int (in = internal). Then edit the hosts file on your windows workstation and add a line like this:

hi till,
thnx.
The domain name of my LAN is abmsdomain.local (which in Windows terminology is the equivalent to .int). Previously I didn't realise the significance of that and how it worked in a practical sense. Thnx for the explaination.

So what you're saying is that in the HOSTS file, I can map more than one Domain Name to a single IP?

Cheers,
Nap

till, falko, and hans;
I really appreciate what you all are doing here, and in particular, all the time you all have spent answering my questions. I can't wait until I accumulate some knowledge so I can return something back. It doesn't make me feel good when I'm taking but not giving.

Also, I don't normally blow fuses in public, but I've been at this setup for so long now and it's been so painful, I couldn't hold back. Please understand that none of my comments were directed at any of the great people here.

ic. I will read up about the HOSTS file as I know there is plenty of info out there.

What about the DNS server approach? (Seeing as the Debian machine has it running.)

I have 2 DNS entries in my TCP/IP setup (Primary and Secondary). At the moment these are automatically assigned by my ISP because I'm using DHCP (and I would like to be able to continue using it). So in order to utilise my Debian based DNS server, I would have to make an additional entry in my TCP/IP Advanced settings.

Here are some questions:
Normally, the Primary entry is searched first. I assume that if the domain name in my URL isn't found there, the Secondary address is checked automatically? If I had a 3rd entry, it would check there if the Secondary failed to return a result?

Is a DNS server database automatically builtup or is it a static database?
1a) Meaning, could I use my DNS server to resolve say 'www.microsoft.com' without having to manually make an entry?
1b) And over time, would I be able to resolve all the URLs I use on my DNS server, without having to refer to any other DNS servers?
1c) Would I get any updates on Domain name/IP changes?
1d) What is the command/method to see what entries I have in my DNS database at any point in time?

If the DNS database is dynamic,
2a) Any idea on the size of the database? Or would it 'trickle' in over time?
2b) And how much data is sent/received in keeping the DNS server database up to date?

If I wanted to have my DNS server as the Primary, are there any things I would need to do to ensure that I can still browse the net?
3a) I would have to turn off automatic DNS retrieval in my TCP/IP settings, and rearrange the current Primary and Secondary addresses so they still get used when required?
3b) Anything else?

Here are some questions:
Normally, the Primary entry is searched first. I assume that if the domain name in my URL isn't found there, the Secondary address is checked automatically? If I had a 3rd entry, it would check there if the Secondary failed to return a result?

Click to expand...

That's wrong.
If a DNS resolve failed (NX Domain), nothing will happen, except your client can not resolve that name. Only if the connection to the dns-server fails, the 2nd, 3rd etc. is used.
-> Redundancy of DNS is normally done on the client, no on the server (just by the way some people think of using 1 HA DNS-Server instead of 2 or more on the serverside...)